Life After The Fall

I hereby bid farewell to thee

"How did this get here?!" Kovu demanded as he looked at Vitani.
"I don't know, when I went on patrol this morning this was there," Vitani admitted.
"This is getting ridiculous! It's like I can't catch a break!" Kovu said angrily.
"The blood is fresh," Tazama said as she peered closely at the wall. "Whoever did this wasn't here very long ago. If I could just catch a scent."

Everyone made room for Tazama as she sniffed the wall and the area around it. Suddenly she stopped and sniffed a particular spot, inhaling deeply.
"The scent on the grass is the same scent as the scent on the wall," she said as she sniffed it.
"Can you identify it Tazama?" Vitani asked.
"No I can't identify it, but it smells familiar," Tazama replied.

"What do you mean by that?" Kiara inquired.
"This scent smells like-" Tazama trailed off for a moment when she lost the scent.
"Forgive me your majesties, but it appears I have lost the scent," Tazama said apologetically.
"Your majesties!"
Kiara and Kovu turned around and saw Rafiki standing on the steps looking down at them.
"What is it Rafiki?" Kovu asked.

"It is Sarabi, she wishes to see you," Rafiki said solemnly.
Kiara gasped and ran past everyone and up the steps followed by Kovu, Simba, Nala, Kion and Rani. Kiara raced into the den and saw her grandmother lying in the same corner she left her in not ten minutes ago. Kiara inhaled sharply and carefully sat down next to the weakened lioness.

"Grandma Sarabi," Kiara gently whispered as she stroked her forehead. Kovu, Nala, Simba,  Kion and Rani entered the den just as Sarabi had opened her eyes. Kovu stepped up to his mate and sat next to her.
"Good, my favourite grandson in-law is here. I'm glad you're here Kovu, I need to tell you something," Sarabi said weakly.

"I'm all ears Sarabi. Tell me what's wrong," Kovu said softly.
"You and Kiara are the King and Queen of the Pride Lands. You have responsibilities to this family, this pride, this kingdom and to the Circle of Life. Do you know what those responsibilities are?" Sarabi asked.
"To protect, to serve and to guide our kingdom in all things right and to always ensure peace, love, equality and justice is present amongst our subjects," Kovu said without hesitation.

"Yes. You both fulfill those duties well. But those aren't the  duties to which I am referring to. You have duties to the kingdom yes, but you also have duties to each other," Sarabi told them. "Kovu you and Kiara need to start your family, I can't die until I am sure you and Kiara are on the road to parenthood. I may not be able to see my great grandcubs, but I will get the lifelong satisfaction-" Sarabi paused and started to cough violently while gasping for breath.

"Grandma save your energy,"  Kiara said sadly.
"No. Let me finish...I don't have much time to live...I want to say my part...Kovu, you and Kiara have to start your family, give Simba and Nala their grandcubs. They're longing to have their grandcubs!"

"Yes, yes Sarabi...you have nothing to worry about. I'll.. I'll do it! I'll get Kiara pregnant and we'll give Nala and Simba their grandcubs, but please don't leave and go," Kovu said in a broken voice.
"I must my dear, my time is up," Sarabi said smiling as she placed a frail paw on Kovu's face.
"Mother...things won't be the same without you," Simba said with tears in his eyes.

"Simba, your father is calling me, I must go," Sarabi told him.
"Grandma Sarabi, Rani is going to give birth in just a few more days, stay please...you'll hold... your  great grandcubs in your paws, spoil them...love them! Don't go Grandma," Kion sobbed as he walked past Kiara and sat next to his dying grandmother.

"Kion you have nothing to worry about, I'll be up there with your grandfather, with the Great Kings and Queens of the Past. Watching down on you all,"
Sarabi then turned to Kiara and Kovu.
"Promise me that you'll fulfill your duties. Start your family. Promise me...I want nothing else, my dying wish is to have you promise me that you'll start your family,"

"Yes Grandma. I'll certainly fulfill your wish. You have my word," Kiara said with tears in her eyes as she picked up Sarabi's paw and placed it on her head.
"I swear on my life, I swear on my love and I swear on the Kings that I will fulfill my duties. Not just as Queen of the Pride Lands, but my duties as a wife, a sister, a daughter, a granddaughter and a member of the royal family."

"Yes, you will. I have complete trust in you Kiara. And you as well Kovu," Sarabi placed her other paw on Kovu's head and sighed contentedly.
"Kion, Rani come here please," Sarabi requested.
Kion and Rani came over without hesitation and Kiara and Kovu made room for them to sit next to Sarabi.

She slowly removed her paws from Kiara and Kovu's heads and placed them on Kion and Rani's heads.
"Be happy, live a happily married life and always do what's right. For each other, for The Tree of Life and for your family," she said in a hoarse voice. 
She removed her paws and they dropped at her side.
"I love you all so much," she whispered. "May the Kings..be with you."

Then Sarabi closed her eyes and exhaled one last time and her body went limp. Kiara covered her mouth with her paws and began to cry. She turned and hugged Kovu while crying into his mane. Kion closed his eyes and ran out of the den. He just couldn't bear to stand there when his grandmother's corpse was lying there. He couldn't bear to be so close to her, knowing she was never coming back.

Simba held Sarabi's limp paw in his own and placed it around his neck while his head rested on his mother's dead body. Nala and Rani hugged while they cried and Kovu placed his head on Kiara's and made little shushing sounds while he himself had been trying to keep his emotions intact.
"She's gone Kovu... Grandma Sarabi is gone!" Kiara wailed.

"Kiara control yourself. The Kings...they wanted her up there, with them. She's gone, but her spirit will always reside in our hearts," Kovu said soothingly.
"She never even got to see her great grandcubs," Rani said sadly while tears were falling rapidly down her face. "Why did she have to go?"

"Only the Kings know why they would do something like this. She's lived a good life, she..she supported this pride and fulfilled all her duties when she was Queen of the Pride Lands well. May she rest in peace," Nala said.
"Who's..who's gonna break the news to the pride?" Kiara asked still crying.
"I'll do it...I'm the King, it's my duty to do it," Kovu said as he rose up off the floor and walked out of the den.

Everyone cleared out of the den and went onto the platform where Diana, Burnt Eboney, Vitani, Marisa, Kion and the Lion Guard were standing around.
Diana saw them standing there and approached with her mate and daughters following behind.
"Simba, Nala, I am so sorry about Sarabi, please accept my condolences," Diana said sadly.

"Thank you Diana," Nala said as she hugged her friend.
"She lived a good life, she'll be sorely missed," Burnt Eboney added dolefully.
Vitani came and hugged Kiara and Marisa hugged Kovu.
"How are you guys holding up?" Vitani asked her brother and sister-in-law.
"Grandma's dying wish was to have grandcubs," Kiara murmured.

"She's been wanting grandcubs ever since we sent you and Kovu on your honeymoon to the Isle of Upendi," Marisa said.
"And that is exactly what we're going to do. Sarabi wanted grandcubs, she may not be able to hold them. But that doesn't change anything," Kovu said firmly as he detached himself from Marisa's embrace.

"Vitani call the rest of the pride please, we have to break the news of Sarabi's death to them. They need to know," Kovu told Vitani as he walked to stand at the peak of Pride Rock.
"When's the burial and farewell ceremony?" Diana inquired.
"We'll hold it today itself," Kiara said monotonously.
"Your majesties!"
Zazu flew up and landed on the ground next to Kiara and bowed.

"What is it Zazu?" Kiara said.
"There's an emergency at Kilio Valley, several animals are in a state of panic," Zazu reported.
"Why is that?" Kovu asked as he came to stand next to Kiara.
"There has been a series of fights with the zebra and wildebeest herds and several others," Zazu told them.

"Just like that? That's strange," Vitani mused. "This morning the zebra and wildebeest were getting along just fine, even grazing in the same spot. Why would they fight now?"
"Let's go down and see," Kiara said urgently.
"What about calling the pride to tell them about Sarabi's passing?" Diana interjected.

"We'll tell them after. The zebras and wildebeest are fighting and if we don't stop them, they'll damage each other," Kovu said as he ran down the steps leading into the savannah, followed by Kiara, Vitani, the Lion Guard, Kion, Simba, Nala, Diana and Burnt Eboney.